Forests

Fine Art Prints Now Available For Order Online

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I'm very excited to have launched a new Prints section on my website here: www.tjwatt.com/prints. I love that photography allows you to bring the west coast wilderness into your home or business. The beauty and grandeur of British Columbia's coastal landscapes is second to none and lends itself wonderfully to large prints.

I'm working closely with a great local print shop to ensure that each individual print is produced to the highest standards possible. We've completed some beautiful print orders already and we're set to print more in time for the Holiday Season. For details on print, paper, and pickup/shipping, please see information below. If you have any further questions or comments, please don't hesitate to reach me by email at: prints@tjwatt.com. I look forward to hearing from you. TJ   www.tjwatt.com/prints

PRINT INFORMATION:

The paper stock used is a bright white, matte, fine art paper (310 gsm), 100% cotton, acid free, with a slightly textured surface. It produces luxurious images with vibrant colours, rich blacks, and a velvety finish. Prints are then carefully packaged and shipped via Canada Post. It's best to allow a professional framer to remove and handle them to ensure their safety. Shipping to Canada $20, USA $35. Free local pickup in Victoria is also available.

CUSTOM PRINT ORDERS:

We also produce archival prints on canvas or aluminum die-bond and at a variety of sizes. These are durable and lightweight options that add a truly unique look! For any inquiries or special requests, please email prints@tjwatt.com and we'd be happy to help!



Exposed: Big Trees & Big Stumps - Camper Creek Headwaters

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In early summer of this year I went for a drive up to the headwaters of Camper Creek in the hills behind Port Renfrew. The road (GR 2000) ended at a deep ditch and a big rock wall but up to the left were signs of recent old-growth logging by Teal-Jones. The cutblock didn't appear like much from the road but upon further inspection it revealed its sad truth. Giant redcedar stumps, some up to 12ft wide, littered the clearcut while slash debris choked the landscape and former creeks. It can be hard to imagine what a forest like this would have looked like just prior to it being logged but a short hike into the neighbouring woods painted a clear picture of the incredible natural beauty and sensitive ecosystem that was lost. Despite current maps and stats that clearly show old-growth forests are highly endangered, the BC Liberal government continues approve cutblocks in forests like these across Vancouver Island and southern BC. And though one can argue that trees will come back, the ensuing second-growth tree plantations (which are typically re-logged every 30-70 years) do not adequately replicate the highly complex and diverse old-growth forests which are lost. Once they're gone, they're gone.

Press: Using Drones for Conservation - Front Cover

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The story of how we're using drone technology to help raise awareness of endangered old-growth forests in the Central Walbran Valley landed on the front cover of The Province newspaper this week! You can read the full story featured on the inside page here: www.theprovince.com/technology/anti+logging+activists+using+drones+fight+information/11394855/story.html  and watch the YouTube clip I filmed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyMPXHOjlK0

Video: Drone's Used to Help with Ancient Forest Campaigns

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Earlier this year I picked up a DJI Phantom 2 drone to use with the Ancient Forest Alliance and our campaigns to protect endangered old-growth forests in BC. The Phantom allows us to explore and document areas that were essentially impossible to reach before. Now we can fly hundreds of meters over the tops of trees to examine new, at-risk areas or carefully work from the forest floor up to the canopy, showcasing the incredible beauty and complex structure of these ancient ecosystems. For me, it's the closest thing to a flying dream where you can float throughout the woods, going whichever way you may choose. However, flying the Phantom is a little more nerve-wracking ;) The Zenmuse H3-3D gimbal is paired with a GoPro Hero 4 Black to capture the best images possible. I'm still in the early stages of flying in this challenging environment but I'm confident the clips we gather will only improve with time and become evermore useful to the cause. So for now, check out the first video I've put together which highlights the imminently endangered Central Walbran Ancient Forest on Vancouver Island. *Be sure to watch at 1080p HD **Additional ground footage shot with the 5DMKII ***Read our detailed press release here.

Snapshot: Blue Heron & Roosevelt Elk

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While in Port Renfrew earlier this week I decided to check the San Juan River estuary for elk in the morning. I came across a lovely scene with 6 or 7 of them grazing in the meadow and a short while after watching, a great blue heron took flight right towards them. It's incredible what magic moments await us in nature if we only take the time to be out there and experience them.

Canon 5D MKII, Canon 70-200 f/4L IS @ 190mm, 1/400 sec @ f 4, ISO 3200

Press: Soar Magazine on Avatar Grove, Ancient Forest Alliance, and Tourism in Port Renfrew, BC

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Soar Magazine has featured some photos and quotes from me surrounding old-growth forests and the benefits of eco-tourism to the town of Port Renfrew, BC. From a town who's economy was largely based on logging since the late 1800's, the transition to big tree tourism has been a novel approach, and that after being fully embraced, is truly taking off!

Avatar Grove Boardwalk Construction - September 2015

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Since 2012, I've worked as the Project Coordinator for the boardwalk construction at Avatar Grove, leading teams of dedicated volunteers each summer to improve the trails of the famed-forest near Port Renfrew. The Grove's popularity has steadily risen each year since 2009 when I first came across it, to today, where hundreds of visitors can be found walking the trails on busier weekends. With that growth, the need to protect the forest floor from the impact of trampling feet grows with it. The boardwalk also helps increase the safety of those visiting and allows them spend more time looking at the trees and surroundings instead of the next tripping hazard. The project we worked on this round was challenging to say the least - 2 major platforms and 2 staircases leading down a root and rock covered slope near the top of the trail in the Upper Grove. We lost count of the trips it took to get our tools, generator, and heavy lumber up the steep and slippery trail from the road each day. In the end though we finished yet another piece of the boardwalk puzzle. I hope that by summer of next year, most of the major work will be complete and people of almost all ages and abilities will be able to experience the grandeur of this forest first hand. It truly is a one-of-a-kind place :)

Here I am checking out the latest construction of boardwalk in the Avatar Grove!